A common problem experienced by purchasers of hot beverages such as coffee and espresso is that the disposable cup in which the beverage is served is often too hot to hold comfortably. To address this problem, various solutions have been attempted. The simplest and most obvious solution has been to wrap one or more paper napkins around the cup to avoid burns or discomfort to the hand. However, this primitive solution is inadequate. Although the napkins will insulate the beverage cup while the cup is being held, they will not stay in place if the cup is put down. It is necessary to reposition the napkins each time the cup is picked up, which can result in accidental burns and spillage. It would therefore be desirable to have a beverage cup insulating sleeve that is comfortable to hold and easily positionable on a beverage cup, and that will remain in position without adjustment.
In response to the recognized need for a better beverage insulator, various types of disposable cardboard and paper sleeves have been used with some degree of success. The sleeves are sized to slide onto the outside of a beverage cup, and are held in place by friction. The upwardly widening diameter of the typical beverage cup prevents the sleeve from sliding off the cup while the cup is being held. However, while cardboard and paper sleeves are minimally functional as beverage cup insulation devices, they are generally only used once, and then discarded. Because the unnecessary use of paper products is environmentally unwise, especially with insulating materials like foam or plastic that are not bio-degradeable and considered environmentally unfriendly when discarded. It would therefore be desirable to have an insulating sleeve that is not disposable, but instead can be used repeatedly. Relatedly, it would be desirable to have an insulating sleeve that is more esthetically pleasing and pleasing to the touch as compared to paper or cardboard.
Cold beverages also require insulation, in that holding a cold beverage is uncomfortable and quickly warms the beverage. There are various types of reusable beverage container insulating devices made especially for cold beverages, many of which are fabricated from molded or pliable foam products. These devices are generally bulky, and impractical for storing in a purse or pocket when not in use. An additional drawback of these devices is that they are usually fitted to a specific size of beverage container, such as a twelve-ounce beverage can, and cannot be used with other sizes or shapes of containers. It would therefore be desirable to have an insulating sleeve, which can adapt itself to fit a variety of container shapes, and can be folded compactly for storage when not in use.
It is a common practice among beverage vendors to provide a "punch card" to their customers. The punch card is presented to the vendor for validation at the time a beverage is purchased. When the customer has obtained a predetermined number of validations, he is entitled to a premium, such as a free beverage. Alternatively, a customer may prepurchase a quantity of beverages for convenience. The vendor then gives the customer a punch card, which verifies the prepurchased beverages, and can be redeemed anytime. No matter how the punch card is used, it represents monetary value and it is used every time a beverage is purchased. Having a way of keeping a punchcard and an insulating device together would therefore be desirable.